Device for transportation of loads between operations

ABSTRACT

The device of the present invention comprises overhead guide tracks along each of which carriages travel carrying a traction member and hooks for attaching a hanger with a load. Between these tracks there is arranged an overhead transfer conveyor, each trolley of which has a fork engaging with a carriage when the load is being transferred, and a lever for gripping the hanger. The lever is supported on master guides for lifting or lowering it when the hanger is being removed from or attached to a hook. These guides have a shaped groove fixing the trolley in the engagement zone. The front tooth of the fork is designed longer to be than the rear one, which makes it possible to select a length of the shaped groove that will ensure a reduction of the dynamic loads when a trolley with its load stops.

Rikman et a1.

[ DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTATION OF LOADS BETWEEN OPERATIONS [76] Inventors:Mikhail Abramovich Rikman, ulitsa Molodogvardeiskaya, 24, korpus l, kv.51; Felix Semenovich loffe, ulitsa lzumrudnaya, 6, kv. 72, both ofMoscow, USSR.

[22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 313,750

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 163,712, June19, 1971,

abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 4, 1970 U.S.S.R 1483014 [52]US. Cl 104/96, 104/172 C, 104/172 S [51] Int. Cl B6lb 3/00, B6lb 7/08[58] Field of Search 104/96, 172 C, 172 S; 198/20 R, 177 R, 177 T [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,845,034 7/1958 Harrison 198/177R [111 3,820,469 1 June 28, 1974 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. HoffmanAttorney, Agent, or Firm--Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT The device of thepresent invention comprises overhead guide tracks along each of whichcarriages travel carrying a traction member and hooks for attaching ahanger with a load. Between these tracks there is arranged an overheadtransfer conveyor, each trolley of which has a fork engaging with acarriage when the load is being transferred, and a lever for grippingthe hanger. The lever is supported on master guides for lifting orlowering it when the hanger is being removed from or attached to a hook.These guides have a shaped groove fixing the trolley in the engagementzone. The front tooth of the fork is designed longer to be than the rearone, which makes it possible to select a length of the shaped groovethat will ensure a reduction of the dynamic loads when a trolley withits load stops.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTATION OF LOADS BETWEENOPERATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This is a continuation of US.Pat. application Ser. No. 163,712, filed July 19, 1971 now abandoned.

The present invention relates to the field of mechanical handlingequipment for machine building, and more particularly to equipment forthe transportation of loads between operations.

There are known devices for the transportation of loads betweenoperations comprising guide tracks along which carriages move carrying atraction member and hooks for the attachment of hangers with loads.Between said guide tracks there is arranged an overhead transferconveyor serving to transfer a load from one guide track to the other.The conveyor is provided with an endless traction member to whichpushers moving trolleys are secured. Each trolley is provided with afork having a front and a rear tooth of equal length. This fork engageswith a carriage on a guide track when a hanger with a load is beingremoved from (or attached to) a hook. In addition, each trolley isprovided with a lever for gripping the hanger with its load and holdingit when it is being carried along the overhead transfer conveyor. Thislever is supported through a roller on master guides arranged near andalong the route of the overhead transfer conveyor. In the zone ofremoving a hanger from its hook these guides have an upward slope in thedirection of motion of the traction member, and in the zone ofattachment of the hanger to a hook the guides have a downward slope.

In the said devices it is very difficult to ensure the required accuracyof stopping a trolley carrying a hanger with its load in the zone ofengagement thereof with a carriage on a guide track for transferring theload to this track at considerable speeds of the trolley, since thereare no means for fixing the stop ofthe trolley in the zone of itsengagement with the carriage.

This inaccuracy of stopping the trolley in the zone of engagement maylead to the failure of the carriage to engage with the fork or to itsengagement with the rear tooth, which will result in abnormalfunctioning of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide a device for the transportation of loads between operations thatwill ensure accurate fixing of a trolley with its load at the place ofits transfer from the overhead transfer conveyor to a guide track whichin turn, will ensure reliable operation of the device.

Another object of the present invention is to increase the zone ofengagement of a trolley with a carriage, which will make it possible toreduce the dynamic loads when a trolley with its load is stopped in thezone of engagement.

In accordance with these objects, there is proposed a device for thetransportation of loads between operations, comprising move, tracksalong which carriages carrying a traction member move,, hooks forattaching hangers with a load being secured to the carriages, and anoverhead transfer conveyor arranged between said guide tracks. Theconveyor is provided with a traction member having pushers for movingtrolleys, each of which has a fork with front and rear teeth that in thezone of engagement enter into contact with said carriage, and a leverfor gripping the hanger supported on master guides arranged near andalong the transfer conveyor, the guides having in the engagement zoneslopes for lifting or lowering the lever when transferring a hanger,wherein, according to the invention, the master guides in the zone ofengagement-of the carriage with a trolley have a shaped groove fixingthe trolley in this zone, the front tooth of the fork being made longerthan the rear one which makes it possible to select a length of theshaped groove that ensures a reduction in the dynamic loads when atrolley stops with its load.

The device for the transportation of loads between operations accordingto the present invention makes it possible to increase the speed of theloaded trolleys, while simultaneously increasing reliability when a loadis being transferred to a guide track from the transfer conveyor. Thus,in turn, makes it possible to sharply increase the output of the devicefor the transportation of loads between operations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature of the present inventionwill become more fully apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription of an exemplary embodiment thereof, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the device for the transportation of loadsbetween operations;

FIG. 2 is a section of a guide track with carriages and a load;

FIG. 3 is a section through III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view along arrow A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a trolley in the zone of engagement with acarriage;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a trolley entering the zone of engagement witha carriage; and

FIG. 7 is a view of the master guides in the zone of engagement of acarriage with a trolley carrying a load.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device for thetransportation of loads between operations comprises two overhead guidetracks 1 and la (FIG. 1). Between these guide tracks there is arrangedoverhead transfer conveyor 2 designed for the transfer of loads 3 fromone guide track 1 to the other track la.

Installed on each guide track 1, 1a are carriages 4 carrying tractionmember 5 and hooks 6 onto which hangers 7 are fitted with their shackles8. Load 3 is attached to a hanger for transportation thereof along guidetrack 1 1a or along overhead conveyor 2.

Overhead transfer conveyor 2 is provided with rail 9 (FIGS. Sand 4)along which carriage 10 moves while carrying chain traction member 11.Secured on the traction member are pushers 12 that interact with stops13 arranged on each trolley 14 for moving it along rail 15.

Fork l6 entering into contact with carriage 4 in the zone of engagementis secured on each trolley 14. Lever 18 is mounted on trolley 14 on axle17. The lever is designed to grip hanger 7 when it is being removed fromhook 6 or attached to this hook, and also for the transportation of load3 along overhead transfer conveyor 2.

Lever 18 is supported on roller 19 that moves along master guides 20arranged near and along rail 15. Master guides 20 in engagement zone Bserve for lifting lever 18 when hanger 7 is removed from hook 6 or forlowering lever 18 when hanger 7 is attached to hook 6. For this purposemaster guides 20 are designed with a slope in the zone of engagement oftrolley 14 with carriage 4. To provide fixed stopping of trolley 14carrying load 3 in the zone of its engagement with carriage 4, masterguides 20 are designed with shaped groove 21 (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7), afterwhich inclined section 22 with an upward slope is arranged.

The provision of shaped groove 21 makes it possible to reliably stopmoving trolley 14 with load 3 in the zone of its engagement withcarriage 4. To extend this zone of engagement, fork 16 has front tooth23 longer than rear tooth 24.

Such a design of the fork ensures guaranteed entry of carriage 4 intothe space between teeth 23 and 24, and an increased length of the shapedgroove, which ensures a reduction of the dynamic loads when trolley 14stops with load 3 The length of shaped groove 21 is determined, on onehand, to ensure the reliable engagement of carriage 4 with front tooth23 of fork 16 on trolley 14, and on the other hand to provide freepassage of carriage 4 past rear tooth 24. v

The design of front tooth 23 longer than rear tooth 24 makes it possibleto increase the length of groove 21, which leads to a reduction of thedynamic loads when trolley 14 stops in the engagement zone.

The device for the transportation of loads between operations functionsas follows:

Carriage 4 with free hook 6 moving along guide track la interacts withautomatic control means (not shown in the drawings) that calls trolley14 with load 3 arranged on lever 18 supported on master guides 20.Trolley 14 is moved into the zone for entering into engagement withcarriage 4 by pusher 12 of traction member 11. Upon entering the zone ofengagement, front stop 13 of trolley 14 is lowered by bar 25 and thuscomes out of contact with pusher 12. Bar 25 is mounted on rail 15 overzone B of engagement of trolley 14 with carriage 4 and passes over theentire zone. Roller 19 moves into shaped groove 21 that holds trolley 14when it engages with carriage 4.

Carriage 4 moves past rear tooth 24 and, entering into contact with longfront tooth 23, moves roller 19 out of groove 21, motion of the rollerduring the initial moment taking place along the section of masterguides having upward slope 22, in order to ensure the pressure of fronttooth 23 of fork 16 to carriage 4 necessary for carriage 4 to move intothe space between front 23 and rear 24 teeth of fork 16. When it entersthe section where load 3 is attached, carriage 4 will be in the saidspace of fork 16, while the master guides now have a downward slope,upon motion along which lever 18 with shackle 8 lowers. Shackle 8 withload 3 will be attached to hook 6 of carriage 4.

Upon the further motion of trolley 14 along rails 15, front stop 13moves out from under bar 25, and under the action of its own weightoccupies its working position. Trolley 14 is picked up by pusher 12 oftraction chain 11 and is transported along rails 15.

Lever 18 now ocupies its lower position. The removal of load 3 issimilar to its attachment, the only difference being that trolley 14 iscalled by the automatic control means interacting with load 3 beingtransported along guide tracks 1, while the master guides in the loadremoval zone have a smooth upward slope that ensures lifting of thelevers, and, consequently, removal of shackle 8 with load 3 from hook 6of carriage 4. Hence carriage 4 with the load 3 moving along tracks 1and acting upon the automatic control means (not shown in the drawings)calls trolley 14 which then moves along rail 15 by pusher 12 secured ontraction member 11 up to a definite zone of the turning portion of rail15, where the trolley 14 stops. The zone is determined by the positionof the teeth of fork 16. The front tooth of fork 16 locates across track1 in the zone of movement of carriage 4, whereas the rear tooth isarranged outside the zone of movement of carriage 4.

Lever 18 is deflected to the lower position due to the height of masterguide 20.

Stopping trolley 14 in the definite zone is effected with the aid of bar25 secured on rail 15.

In the zone of disengagement of pusher 12 and stops l3, traction member11 is offset inside with respect to the rail axis, and pusher 12 guidestrolley 14 outside the inner edge of wide stop 13, and bar 25 is soarranged along the rail axis so as not to interfere with the motion ofpushers 12.

At the disengagement zone, bar 25 has a gentle rise to lower the frontwide and rear narrow stops 13, thus disengaging trolley 14 from pusher12.

Trolley 14 enters the load removing zone before carriage 4 and waits forthe latter. As soon as carriage 4 with the load enters the removing zoneit becomes engaged with the stationary front tooth of fork 16 therebystarting the guidance of trolley 14 along the turning section of rail15. During the combined travel with carriage 4, trolley 14 passes fromthe turning position of the rail to that parallel to track 1. Carriage 4in this case locates between the front and rear teeth of fork 16,whereas lever 18 is under the respective surfaces of shackle 8.

While moving with carriage 4, lever 18 commences rising owing to masterguide 20 having a gentle rise; said lever takes shackle 8 with the loadand lifts it above hook 6. The load removing operation is thuscompleted, and at this section track 1 is parallel to rail 15.

After removal of the load, the trolley 14 reaches the turning portion ofthe transfer conveyor. Located here is the end of bar 25 retaining stops13 in the lowered position. Pusher 12 commences to move trolley 14 alongthe rails 15. The front tooth of fork 16 deflects forwardly and to theside, and the rear tooth of the fork passes to the rear and to the sideof the carriage 4. Levers 18 with the load move aside from carriage 4.

Thus, members 16 and 18 do not interfere with movement of carriage 4after the load is transferred.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for the transportation of loads between stations comprising:first and second overhead guide track means; first carriage meansarranged on each of said guide track means; a first traction membermeans secured to said first carriage means; hook means secured to saidfirst carriage means; hanger means for carrying said loads and attachedto said hook means; an overhead transfer conveyor means arranged betweensaid first and second guide track means and including; second carriagemeans of said conveyor; overhead track means wherealong said secondcarriage means move; a second traction member means secured to saidsecond carriage means; pusher means secured to said second tractionmember means; trolleys interacting with said pusher means for motionthereof; rail means whereon said trolleys move; a fork means secured toeach of said trolleys, said fork means having a front and rear tooth forengagement with said first carriage means of said overhead guide trackmeans to ensure synchronous travel of said trolley with said firstcarriage means when said hanger means is removed from or attached tosaid hook means; a lever mounted on said trolley to grip said hangermeans when it is being transferred from the first carriage means of saidfirst guide track means to the first carriage means of said second guidetrack means; master guide means on which said lever is supported, andhaving a shaped groove disposed in the zone of engagement of said firstcarriage means with said trolley carrying one of said hanger means withthe load, the groove being used to stop the trolley; said front tooth ofsaid fork means being made longer than the rear tooth, and the length ofsaid shaped groove being selected so as to ensure reduction of thedynamic loads when the loaded trolley is stationary; said master guidemeans being disposed so as to lift and lower said lever when said hangermeans with the load is removed from or attached to said hook means.

1. A device for the transportation of loads between stations comprising:first and second overhead guide track means; first carriage meansarranged on each of said guide track means; a first traction membermeans secured to said first carriage means; hook means secured to saidfirst carriage means; hanger means for carrying said loads and attachedto said hook means; an overhead transfer conveyor means arranged betweensaid first and second guide track means and including; second carriagemeans of said conveyor; overhead track means wherealong said secondcarriage means move; a second traction member means secured to saidsecond carriage means; pusher means secured to said second tractionmember means; trolleys interacting with said pusher means for motionthereof; rail means whereon said trolleys move; a fork means secured toeach of said trolleys, said fork means having a front and rear tooth forengagement with said first carriage means of said overhead guide trackmeans to ensure synchronous travel of said trolley with said firstcarriage means when said hanger means is removed from or attached tosaid hook means; a lever mounted on said trolley to grip said hangermeans when it is being transferred from the first carriage means of saidfirst guide track means to the first carriage means of said second guidetrack means; master guide means on which said lever is supported, andhaving a shaped groove disposed in the zone of engagement of said firstcarriage means with said trolley carrying one of said hanger means withthe load, the groove being used to stop the trolley; said front tooth ofsaid fork means being made longer than the rear tooth, and the length ofsaid shaped groove being selected so as to ensure reduction of thedynamic loads when the loaded trolley is stationary; said master guidemeans being disposed so as to lift and lower said lever when said hangermeans with the load is removed from or attached to said hook means.